Independent research firm unveils best EHRs for smaller practices

Carrollton, Georgia-based Greenway Medical Systems earned two first-place awards for its electronic health records system for practices of two to five and six to 25 doctors this year from an independent health-care vendor research firm.

For its annual “Best in KLAS Software Awards,” Orem, Utah-based KLAS’s award criteria are based on research pulled from hundreds of 40-question surveys that ask about a customer’s experience with the software system, including its features, functionality, and the vendor’s technical support, graded on a 1- to 9-point scale. The highest average overall score determines the award winner.

For its awards, the firm recognizes 20 types of software including EHR systems (which it calls EMR) for different-sized medical groups, as well as practice management systems, and software for hospitals.

KLAS founder and Chairman Kent Gale emphasizes his firm interviews 1,500 practices and hospitals a month in its research and seeks all types of customers for each product, not just the satisfied clients who are recommended by the software vendors.

“Sometimes it takes a little while, but we will not publish or validate a vendor as being measured appropriately until we’re sure it’s not a biased sample,” he says. “…I wouldn’t pay a dime for something that wasn’t clean.”

The software vendors do not pay to be reviewed either, Gale notes. “They get reviewed whether they want us to or not,” he says.

KLAS’s revenue comes from research reports of medical software, equipment and professional services which it sells to medical providers for as much as $980 and to vendors, consultants and investment banks for as much as $7,850, according to its online store. KLAS survey participants are allowed to view the basic research results for free.

2008 “Best in KLAS” Software Awards
Best Ambulatory EMR Systems for Practices with 2 to 5 physicians (Overall score)
1. Greenway Medical PrimeSuite Chart (90.2)
2. Allscripts Professional EHR (88)
3. e-MDs Chart (86.2)
4. NextGen EMR (86)
5. eClinical Works EMR (83)

Best Ambulatory EMR System for Practices with 6 to 25 physicians (Overall score)
1. Greenway Medical PrimeSuite Chart (89.4)
2. e-MDs Chart (87.4)
3. CHARTCARE EMR (84.5)
4. Allscripts Professional EHR (84.3)   
5. eClincialWorks EMR (83.2)